Word of the split came just weeks after Donaldson, 78, was arrested on drunk driving charges in Delaware.

Donaldson was pulled over in Lewes on the evening of Dec. 1 after an officer saw him drive on the shoulder of the road. He failed a sobriety test, police said.

A court date is pending.

Newsman Sam Donaldson and his wife attend the Broadcasting and Cable Magazine's annual "Hall of Fame" gala during happier times in 2001.

Jan Smith, 57, was Donaldson's third wife. The two met in the early 1980s while Donaldson was at the height of his career as an anchor and political reporter on ABC. Smith was an administrative assistant at the network and said Donaldson "really swept me off my feet in terms of energy and excitement."